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Period: to
Civil War
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The South Makes a Government
At a convention in Montgomery, Alabama, the seven seceding states created the Confederate Constitution, a document similar to the United States Constitution, but with greater stress on the autonomy of each state. Jefferson Davis was named provisional president of the Confederacy until elections could be held. The capital cities of the Confederacy were: Montgomery, Alabama(until May 29, 1861)Richmond, Virginia(May 29, 1861 – April 3, 1865)Danville, Virginia(after April 3, 1865) -
Lincoln's Inauguration
In his inagural address, which was aimed primarily towards the south, Lincoln adressed several key issues. Concerning the issue of slavery, he explained that he did not intend to force its abolition on the south. He claimed that he did not have the legal power to do so granted by the constitution. Next, he explained that if the south succeeded, he would use military force to bring them back. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
President Lincold planned to send supplies to Fort Sumter. He alterted the state of South Carolina in advance. However, the state feared a trick. They demanded the fort to surrender. The commander of the fort, Robert Anderson, only surredered after he had exhaused his supplies. On April 12, the first shots of the Cival War were fired with shots on the fort. It was eventually lost to South Carolina. -
Union Blockade
The Union Blockade was set in place over the course of the Cival War, where the Union Navy attempted to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms to the Confederacy.. The Confederates responded with building special ships known as blockade runners. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, which was also known as First Manassas by the Confederarte forces, was the first major land battle of the Civil War. The Union was pressured into quickly siezing the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, in hopes of bringing a quick end to the war. However, the army was poorly experience, and the attack was poorly executed. Despite an initial advantage, the Union was overwhelmed by arriving Confederate reinforcements that arrived by railroad. -
The Battle of Shiloh
On April 6, Confederate forces attacked Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. By the end of the day, the federal troops were almost defeated. Yet, during the night, reinforcements arrived, and by the next morning the Union commanded the field. When Confederate forces retreated, the exhausted federal forces did not follow. Casualties were heavy -- 13,000 out of 63,000 Union soldiers died, and 11,000 of 40,000 Confederate troops were killed. -
Capture of New Orleans
Flag Officer David Farragut led an assault up the Mississippi River. By April 25, he was in command of New Orleans. -
Battle of Seven Pines
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Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads was a very important naval battle in the Civil War. It was the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships. On the first day of the battle, the CSS Virginia, which was build from the hull of the USS Merrimack, managed to sink two Union warships and run a third aground. On the second day, the CSS Virginia returned to the battle and was intercepted by the USS Minnesota, a second ironclad. The two ships faught for three hours and the battle was indecisive. -
The Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside. The Union army's futile frontal assaults on December 13 against entrenched Confederate defenders on the heights behind the city is remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the American Civil War, with Union casualties more than twice as he -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln, aware of the public's growing support of abolition, issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all slaves in areas still in rebellion were free. It did not make ex-slaves citizens. The total abolition of slavers was finalized by the Thirteenth Amendment which took effect in December 1865. -
Abraham Lincoln Is Re-Elected.
Ambraham Lincold is elected again with Andrew Johnson as his vice-president. -
Richmond Falls
On March 25, General Lee attacked General Grant's forces near Petersburg, but was defeated -- attacking and losing again on April 1. On April 2, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital, and headed west to join with other forces. The Lincoln administration was determined to make the capital safe from attack by ringing the city with a chain of forts manned by substantial garrisons of artillerists and other troops.
